Viña C, Herrero M, Rivero F, Álvarez-Pérez Y, Fumero A, Bethencourt JM, Pitti C, Peñate W. Changes in brain activity associated with cognitive-behavioral exposure therapy for specific phobias: searching for underlying mechanisms.
Rev Neurol 2020;
71:391-398. [PMID:
33205385 DOI:
10.33588/rn.7111.2019487]
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The current evidence collected consistent results about morphological and functional brain changes produced by psychological treatment. Exposure cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is currently the most effective psychological treatment for phobias.
AIMS
To explore the brain activation and self-reported changes in patients with specific phobias to small animals who underwent a CBT exposure program and to prove if the CBT program made phobic patients process feared stimuli similarly to non-phobic persons.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
The sample consisted of 32 adults, of which 16 (5 males and 11 females; mean age: 38.08) had specific phobia to small animals and 16 (4 males and 12 females; mean age: 21.81) had no phobias. A univariate before-and-after treatment design were used. In addition, the scores of the non-phobic group in self-reports and brain activity were compared with the post-treatment scores of the phobic group.
RESULTS
Data show significant changes in brain activity, and improvements in self-reported measures because of applying CBT to specific phobias. As a highlight, participants showed a greater activation in points of the precuneus after receiving CBT. Also, when compared with non-phobic participants, phobic patients still remain with both fear and defensive responses to phobic stimuli.
CONCLUSIONS
The precuneus seems to be a regulator that reorganizes the processing of phobic stimuli. It can imply as CBT/ exposure also active acceptance, self-awareness, and self-efficacy mechanisms.
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